


The Storm

by FangurlOfAllFangurls



Category: The Rookie (TV 2018)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Late Night Conversations, Nightmares, Realization, Slow Build, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 06:07:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 5,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24300076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FangurlOfAllFangurls/pseuds/FangurlOfAllFangurls
Summary: I do not own The Rookie or the characters. This is just inspired by the amazinness that is Chenford.
Relationships: Tim Bradford & Lucy Chen, Tim Bradford/Lucy Chen
Comments: 7
Kudos: 86





	1. Chapter 1

"Get away from the window boot!" Tim barked as Lucy stared in awe of the chaotic storm beginning to brew. She rolled her eyes joining him by the kitchen island. The thunder was slowly starting to sound closer. "What's that?" She asked curiously as he pulled the foil-covered pan out of freezer. "Lasagna." He said it simply with no invitation for further questioning. Of course, that was a slim chance knowing his chatty boot. "Sooo... did you make it?" She was almost in disbelief that he was capable of just domesticity. It was surprising enough to find a soft throw, and candles along the hutch, beneath the TV. What wasn't a surprise was the monster of a TV he had mounted on the wall, accompanied by Surround Sound. He rolled his eyes. "What, you think I stole it off of some old lady's window sill?" He should have seen her snarky retort coming. "Tim, we're not in a 1950's cartoon. No one does that anymore." She sat on a stool swinging her legs, watching as he put the lasagna in the oven. "Just how old do you think I am, boot?" He handed her a beer, raising an eyebrow. Gladly accepting, she gave him the biggest grin. He had to surpress his own, trying to appear stern. She decided sassing him wasn't worth the burpees she would have to endure. 


	2. Chapter 2

They walked over to the sofa, Lucy sitting as far from the window as possible, Tim squished beside her. Cojo was somehow miraculously asleep during the crazy storm, and he was the reason she came to begin with. If she noticed how unnecessarily close Tim was, or his knee bouncing nervously she didn't comment. Big Bad Officer Bradford didn't like thunder storms. "So what do you want to watch? And don't make me regret letting you choose." She accepted the remote, trying her best to remain unaffected by how warm and rough, yet gentle hand felt against hers. They had had many physical interactions on the job. Hell, he gave her CPR after pulling her from a barrel. She shook the unwelcomed thought from her mind. This felt different. Somehow every touch, every smile, seemed more intimate. They were in their own private bubble in the sanctuary of Tim's home. He had offered her to come by so she could spend time with Cojo. Unwilling to admit he much preferred their company than the solitude of his house with the treacherous storm expected that evening.

Lucy had offered to bring pizza or donuts, maybe beer but be had dismissed the idea. It stung when he brushed off her idea with a snarky "What are we, friends now?" She ended the call with a simple "okay." What Lucy didn't know was that Tim didn't want Lucy caught out on the roads in the middle of a brewing storm. He knew she was more than capable of handling herself, but still he worried. He had suffered enough turmoil worrying about her wellbeing. The truth is, he would always worry. Worry she'd get hurt on the job, worry she'd transfer far away, worry she'd forget him and move on. 

"Ooo I really like this one!" The screen displayed a "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist." He wanted to say no, but the way her face lit up when she saw it, he wished he could see her that way more often. If he couldn't give her a time machine, this is the least he could do. "Fiiiine." He said dramatically, smiling when she looked uncertainly at him. Once she realized he was teasing, she hit play. The first episode seemed interesting enough, he'd give it a chance. He smiled every time she got excited when a part she liked was about to happen and he couldn't help himself. She would hum softly to every song played, and it made him ache, if only she knew how he felt. Every so often he would interject how, in reality Zoey would have been institutionalized, and how Mo was enabling the chaos. She felt him tense when a crack of thunder rumbled. Luckily, before she could comment, the timer went off for the oven. He sprang from the couch eager for a distraction. If Lucy was as observant as he knew she was, she sensed his discomfort with the evergrowing storm.


	3. Chapter 3

Taking the break as an opportunity to stretch, Lucy smiled to herself. It was nice to see him outside of work, even though he denied their obvious friendship. She was alerted when she heard him swear. "What's wrong?" She jumped up to investigate. He groaned, throwing the lasagna on the counter with his bare hands. "Are you nuts?!" She gaped at him like he was a crazy person. He took her hand frustratedly and placed it over the still cold lasagna. Instantly he released her hand, as if her very touch burned him. He had held it for just a moment longer than necessary. "I swore I turned the oven on!" Suddenly it made sense to her. "It's okay, what else have you got?" He grimaced. "Not much, I haven't gotten the chance to grocery shop." With the chaotic storm, delivery was out of the question. 

She was determined not to be defeated, they were actually enjoying themselves. He rummaged through the cabinets, pulling out the bread and Sour Cream and Onion Pringles. "PB&J or grilled cheese?" Tim hadn't had a chance to do much shopping, and didn't have much left in the way of healthy foods. "PB&J sounds great." Grabbing the ingredients he pointed to the cabinet. "Plates are in there." As Tim began making the sandwiches, Lucy began humming one of songs that was playing on the show they were watching. "Chen, what the hell are you doing?" He watched as she cut the crust off one of the sandwiches to shape what appeared to be a star. She shrugged, taking the excess pieces from the star sandwich and aiming for his face. He instinctively opened his mouth, deciding not to make a thing of his boot practically feeding him. "I'll make my own, thanks." He pushed her aside with his hip. "Scoot." He said in an almost playful tone. She was getting better at learning his different tones and expressions. Not that Tim would ever tell her, but he was quite impressed, if not slightly annoyed by it.

She watched as he meticulously made his sandwhich, evenly spread peanut butter, and the pefect amount of jelly. He looked up, sensing he was being watched, another thing that impressed Lucy. "What?" He looked at her questioningly. "Nothing!" She laughed. Knowing he would unlikely drop the subject, she caved. "Are you always this precise and methodical? Don't you ever cut loose?" He glared at her. "I can cut loose, when I want to." His glare softened into curiosity when she picked up the peanut butter. "So then... you wouldn't freak out if I did this?" Before he could react, she stuck her finger in the peanut butter, licking her finger clean. He grimaced. "That is so unsanitary." She grinned. "Uh huh, I thought so." He rolled his eyes. She watched as he made another sandwich, shaking his head at Lucy for her peanut butter rebellion. She handed him a plate as she watched him cut the crust off exactly half the sandwhich. "What are you doing?" She asked, watching him cut it in half. "Give me your plate." She obliged handing it to him. He put the crustless half on the plate with her star. "That dinky sandwich isn't going to satisfy you." She gulped, resisting the urge to ask what would. "And I'm not making a damn star." She giggled handing him his plate. "Thanks." He shrugged. "In the fridge there's a bag of carrots. Can you grab them?" She nodded as he placed sour cream and onion Pringles on their plates. Spying the carrots, she grabbed them, bringing them to the sink. "Peeler's in the drawer next to you." She nodded again as she thoroughly rinsed the carrots. He watched as she grabbed the peeler from the drawer and began peeling the carrots. It was odd to him how normal this felt. Lucy- Chen, he corrected, in his kitchen with him, making what amounted to a school lunch. She put the carrots on the plate and brought them to his dining room table.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey, actually, I have a better idea." He grabbed TV trays and placed them by the couch. "What? I can be spontaneous!" He smirked at her look of disbelief. She shrugged joining him and placing their plates on the tray. "Another beer?" He asked heading back to the fridge. Not giving her the chance to answer, he grabbed two, returning to hand one to her. "Thanks." He didn't answer, just an uncharacteristic "mhm." He really did surprise her sometimes.

They sat in comfortable silence, eating their "dinner" and listening to the pounding rain. "I'm sorry." She looked at him curiously, taking a bite of her sandwich. "For the lasagna. I can't believe I forgot to turn the damn oven on." She shrugged as she took another bite of her sandwich. "Doubt it could live up to this PB&J." He shook his head. "Whatever you say, boot." She smiled and continued her meal. He had to admit, her care-free spirit could be refreshing after being on edge, on constant alert, on shift. It suddenly occured to him she wouldn't be riding with him much longer. For the first time in his career he was going to miss his rookie. "You know," he broke the silence. "I hope you don't think you can shirk your duties as a dog co-parent once you're not a rookie anymore. Cojo's going to expect you to visit him." She looked up at him, trying her best to read his face. She would miss this banter between them. His overall presence. "Not a chance. Someone has to remember to turn the oven on. And for the record, I would never leave Cojo behind." She hoped she could convey all that she really felt, that somehow he would "read between the lines." He smiled in what looked like relief. It occurred to her, maybe, just maybe, he would miss her too. He grabbed the plates from her tossing them in the sink. "Good, because Cojo would miss you."

"Back to the show?" She nods, resumimg where they had left off. Somewhere after the scene where Mo was at the church, Lucy started shivering. He reached for the throw draping it over her, neither commenting on it. There was a sudden crack of thunder, much closer this time. As if it was intentional,the power went out right after the episode ended. "Dammit." He groaned. It was 8:30 and the storm had no signs of letting up. His attention turned to her as he felt her tense. He may have his own dark memories of thunder storms, but she faced similar feelings with the dark. His heart clenched, his mind going back to that day he pulled her out of that barrel. That was truly the worst day of his career, maybe his entire life. "I'm going to light some candles." He felt her nod as he grabbed the torch and began lighting each one. In the dimly lit room, he could see her seem to relax a little. An idea struck him, something he knew would distact her. "Hey, up for some Uno?" His hands were shoved in his pockets in an uncharacteristic way. She knew what he was trying to do, and it meant the world to her. Of course he must've noticed her tense at the sudden darkness, but he didn't point it out. There was a mutual understanding, they both had their own demons to face. And yet somehow, sitting there next to one of the strongest people she knew, she felt brave. Sure he was physically strong, she refused to let her mind wander there, but with all he had been through with Isabel, he was resilient as hell. "Uno sounds good." She could see his grin as he pulled out the cards from the coffee table compartment. He sat down on the floor, motioning for her to do the same.


	5. Chapter 5

Tim shuffled and dealt the cards, now on their third round, the rain pounding against his windows, nowhere near passing them. Caught off guard, Lucy called "Uno!" He looked startled. "Sorry, got excited." She murmured sheepishly. He gave her a half-grin as he looked at his watch, they had been playing for two hours. He frowned, staring out the window. "Chen, I think it would be best if you stay over. The storm isn't letting up." As if on cue, lightning struck. He studied her face for any signs of objection, but found only uncertainy. "Are you sure, I mean you don't mind?" She stammered. He pushed himself up from the ground and disappeared down the hall. For a moment, she could faintly hear, "Of course not." Tim returned with blankets and pillows. "I'll take the couch. There are fresh sheets on the bed and I laid out some clothes for you." She chewed her lip nervously. In Tim's bed, with his scent, in his clothes. She knew she was in trouble, but she didn't want to let on. "Thanks." She mumbled shyly. "Yeah." He said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Creeping down hall, Lucy noticed the lack of pictures of Isabelle and Rachel. She felt guilty that it made her happy. Tim and Rachel had tried to make a go of it, but the long distance and conflicting schedules, not to mention time difference, made it impossible. Lucy had tried her best to be supportive and encouraging of their relationship, wanting to be a good friend, deep down it made her heart ache. She smiled as she entered his bedroom, swallowing her unease at being in her admittedly very sexy TO's room. She banished the thought, blaming the beer. He had placed some plaid sleep pants and a t-shirt on the end of the bed. Never thought I'd actually get in Tim's pants. It was terrible, she knew, but couldn't stifle her giggle. Being with Emmett, they would always stay in her room, where she called the shots. She'd only ever been to his apartment a handful of times. Although she trusted him, she still felt this overwhelming need to be in control. Something Tim noticed they both shared in common. Yet, here she was, in Tim's room, soaking in his presence.

She left the room, quickly dressed in his pjs, hair tossed up in a top bun. She looked adorable. "There's a fresh toothbrush in the bathroom for you. I'm going to change." She bit her lip as he disappeared down the hallway. She shrugged going to the bathroom, where just as he said, a toothbrush was waiting. She brushed her teeth trying not to think of how strange it felt, being in his house, in his clothes, sleeping over in his bed. The only thing that could make it more surreal was if he joined her in bed. Her cheeks reddened at the thought. She couldn't deny, she had thought about it, she wasn't dead. What he would be like in bed. A gentle lover? Maybe agressive and in control. She hadn't let her mind wander there since her best friend and Tim had gotten together. She regretted setting them up when she showed up at Rachel's and discovered he had slept over. She didn't realize it would bother her as much as it did. She messed up. Tim passed her as he returned to the living room, his footsteps shaking her from her train of thought. Her stomach clenched when she saw him in his snug tee and silky black gym shorts that hugged his ass. That should be illegal. She tried not to stare at his ass as he set up his "bed" for the night. It occured to her suddenly that he might not sleep because of the storm. "Going to bed?" He asked neutrally, trying not to notice the way his pants hugged her hips, rolled dangerously low. He could get used to this, he thought. "Yeah, just wanted to say good night." She gave an awkward wave and disappeared down the hall. "Night." He whispered softly into the dark.


	6. Chapter 6

Lucy tossed and turned trying to get comfortable, but to no avail. She heard the TV softly in the living room. She checked her watch. It was a little past 12am. Somewhere in the night, the power had kicked back on, she could hear the humming of the AC. Thinking about how tall Tim is, and how he'd stuffed himself into the couch suddenly made her feel guilty. Not to mention the wind beating branches against the house, the strong rumble of thunder still continuing, and the howling of the unrelenting wind. No wonder he was probably still awake. She kicked off the tangled sheets and padded down the hall. Poor Tim, he looked exhausted, his face illuminated by the glow of the TV screen. As if sensing he was being watched, he turned his attention to her. "Hey." She said softly, making it to the couch. Cojo, jumped off, curling up at the foot of the it.

"Hey," he said surpised. "Couldn't sleep?" She frowned shaking her head. Her hair was wild, little tendrils loose and matted to her mildly sweaty skin. _Adorable_. He thought to himself, unable to stifle the thought. He shifted to sit up, patting the seat next to him. She smiled curling up next to him, the couch dipping slightly. Without thinking, he draped the blanket over them both, realizing she must be chilled since the AC kicked back on. "What's on your mind, Luce?" She stilled at the rare use of her nickname. She honestly couldn't remember ever hearing it from his lips. It felt foreign but somehow gave her the chills. He must have sensed her unease, turning to look at her. "You okay?" He asked, swiping a wild hair from her face. She swallowed hard, staring into his searching eyes. "Yeah, just couldn't seem to fall asleep." He tensed momentarily as a streak of lightning lit the sky. "Me neither, I... I'm not much of a fan of thunderstorms." He turned his attention to the screen, not really watching, just needing to break eye contact. In a moment of bravery she chanced the question. "How come?" She studied his face, blankly staring at the infomercial on the screen. "Maybe someday, I'll tell you." He whispered gruffly, as he saw Lucy nod from the corner of his eye. Ever the surprise, he felt her lean her head on his shoulder. He tensed ever so slightly before relaxing into her touch. They watched the late night infomercials, focusing on the others steady breathing, until they had become synced. Somewhere in the night they had drifted off. They had both leaned over towards the arm of the couch, his arm on her leg, Cojo sidled along side them. It was the most peaceful he'd ever slept during a storm. Tim was grateful for her presence. As much as he didn't want to admit, she grounded him.


	7. Chapter 7

She woke before he did, the sun peeking through the windows, stirring her from slumber. Cojo brought his leash to Lucy, and she had to stifle the urge giggle. Patting him on the head, she slowly got off the couch, mindful not to wake Tim. She spotted a pair of Tim's house slippers by the door and grinned. Tim Bradford, had house slippers. Lucy always teased him about being an "old man" but in fact, he wasn't that old, and was far more fit than most of the men she knew. She shivered feeling a quiver in her stomach, she'd like to attribute to hunger, and not the thought of her very fit TO. "Come on boy." She whispered, leading Cojo out the door as quietly as possible. Peaking at her watch she caught the time, 9:33am. It suddenly occured to her that she had a bikini wax appointment in an hour. She knew she couldn't miss it again if she wanted to keep her favorite waxer. Ever since she and Emmet had broken up, she kept putting off the appointment reasoning, without a partner, there was no point. Sure, she groomed, but she always took extra care when in a relationship. Technically she had a partner, well, Tim liked to argue that she was his subordinate, but he wasn't the kind of partner you needed to wax for. She blushed thinking about what Tim would think, seeing her naked. Cojo tugged on the leash, shaking her from her fantasy. "I'm coming!" She grumbled as he tugged her along the trail. They walked a few more blocks, Cojo snooping in all of his favorite spots. He seemed delighted to share with her his favorite places. Around fifteen mintues later she circled them back to the house. Cojo seemed to grasp that Tim was still asleep. He quickly simmered down from his gleeful energetic "adventure." Unleashing him, he curled up on the couch, resting his head on Tim's lap. Lucy couldn't help it, she grabbed her cell, nearly dead, snapping a picture. "Gotta go boy, you be good!" She whispered sternly, before heading to Tim's room to change. Quickly getting dressed, she gave the bed one last stare, guilty for not having time to make it. Though she hadn't spent much time in it, it still offered all the safety and warmth that Tim did. She couldn't help wonder what it would be like to sleep beside him, wrapped in his arms. Looking at her watch she grimaced. If she she didn't leave now she was going to be late. After quickly refreshing Cojo's food and water, she blew them a kiss and left. She would have to skip her beloved coffee shop if she was going to make it to her appointment on time.


	8. Chapter 8

Tim was awoken by Cojo about an hour after Lucy left, nudging his side. He groaned tiredly, slowly opening his eyes. As he came to, he noticed Lucy's things were gone. Outside he saw her car was no longer in his driveway. He frowned, he hadn't gotten to say goodbye. His phone blinked, catching his attention. One new text message. "Sorry I had to leave so quickly, had appointment. Thanks for last night." He smiled softly. Last night had been pretty nice, aside from the lasagna ordeal and the power going out. He hadn't even minded the show Lucy chose, and he certainly didn't mind hearing her singing the songs as they worked on "dinner" together. 

Tim noticed Cojo's leash was hanging on the hook by the door and his food and water were full. "Did you have fun with mom, boy?" Cojo wagged his tail happily, whining at the door. "I know boy, I miss her too." He hadn't meant to say that out loud, and it dawned on him, they spend 90% of their week together. But not like they had last night, in a casual, almost intimate setting. He grabbed his phone texting her back. "Thanks for coming... Cojo enjoyed having you home." As soon as he hit send, he felt an uncharacteristic spark of anxiety. Home? It sounded strange but somehow right, referring to his place as "home." He could have said "thanks for coming by, it made Cojo happy" but no, he had to say "home." He mentally scolded himself, caught off guard by her quick reply. "Just Cojo? ;)" She teased in response. He sighed in relief. "Admittedly, I may have enjoyed a certain boot's company." She was quick to respond. "So you've hung out with other boot's? And here I thought I was special! Lol" It hit him suddenly, he had genuinely never spent any personal time outside of work with any of his previous rookies. Ever. "Never said you weren't." When she didn't respond, he set his phone on the charger, heading for his coffee maker. He hoped he hadn't given away too much. 

Tim decided it would be a good time to go grocery shopping considering he was out of almost everything. He quickly set the coffee to brew and went down the hallway to change. Cojo wagged his tail staring at the bed. "I know boy, she'll be back." He couldn't help but hope she would stay the night again. Last night had been one of the best nights he'd had in a while. He sighed, changed into fresh clothing, making his way back to the kitchen. He rooted around the fridge in vain for something to eat. The coffee maker beeped, finished brewing. Sipping his coffee he decided he should go shopping for groceries if he was to have anything to eat. He grabbed his keys, petting Cojo goodbye before locking up behind him.


	9. Chapter 9

Lucy made small talk to her waxer, Kelly, as she rang up her bill. "So good to see you again. I was starting to wonder where you got to. So... is there someone new in your life?" Lucy gulped nervously. "Oh you know, it's been a while, thought it was long overdue." She was trying her best to deflect but failed miserably. Kelly gave a knowing smile. "Well whoever he is, he's a lucky guy, and I hope he enjoys your wax." She winked at Lucy, handing her a receipt. Lucy's face was beet red. "Er... thanks Kelly." She said snatching her receipt and scrurrying out the door. A gust of wind greeted her. As she made her way back to her car, she tried to shake the image of Tim knelt before her as she sat at the edge of the bed, eating her. "Ughhh. I need a distraction!" She exclaimed, grabbing her phone and texting Jackson. "Hey, are you up for a pedicure?"

Jackson pulled up about fifteen minutes later with boba tea. "You're the best!" Lucy proclaimed as she got out of her car to greet him. He laughed. "What can I say? I know my girl." They both grinned at that, heading inside. "So, you want to tell me what the occasion is? We both know you only do impromptu pedicures when something is up." He handed her her boba as she busied herself with picking out a color. "Oh, you know, just wanted to catch up." He stood with his arms folded, sipping his drink as he watched her choose a color from the shelf. She shrugged, stuck between deciding on a peach or a ruby red. He raised an eyebrow, clearly he wasn't buying it. It dawned on him suddenly. "Oh my gawd, has Lucy Chen found a lover? Because I know damn well you didn't call me to catch up, we see each other all the time." She sighed exasperatedly. "No, I stayed over at Tim's last night." Jackson gaped. "Uh, you did what now?" She grabbed the peach polish heading towards the chairs that were waiting for them. "Dish!" He looked at her excitedly sipping more of his boba as the nail techs started. "He asked me to come over to see Cojo and it stormed so he insisted I not drive in it and stay over." Lucy didn't divulge that the only reason Tim asked her to stay was because he hated storms. "Uh huh, I would've gone with the red, way sluttier." She rolled her eyes at him, finding the massage setting she wanted.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a little while so this one is bit longer. The next chapter will be Jackson trying to pry details from Lucy. :)

Tim pulled up to the grocery store shutting off the radio he hadn't been listening to. Too preoccupied with his thoughts of last night, Tim had arrived on autopilot. He let out a heavy sigh. Last night had been a mix of emotions he was finding more and more difficult to tamper. Dinner hadn't gone quite as expected, although he wasnt sure what he was hoping to get from it. Impress her with his no doubt highly unexpected domesticity? Give her the comforts of a homecooked meal? One of the recipes that he made often with his mom when trying to avoid his father's temper. He saw the poor excuse for a meal Lucy would bring ever since West had been spending more time at Sterling's. Lucy didn't seem as keen to cook like she used to, not since there was no one home to share it with.

Tim frowned as he grabbed a cart, entering the store. One of these days he would share a home cooked meal with her. He thought about how on Earth he could get Lucy over again without "giving it away" what he was feeling. Perhaps he could pull the Kojo card, or maybe point out that they hadn't finished her or _their_ show. He grabbed a sales add.

Flipping through he saw produce was on sale. Steaks were also bogo, he'd be a fool to turn those down. Walking through the produce, he grabbed strawberries and on a whim, asparagus. He decided bacon wrapped asparagus and steak would be a nice meal if he mustered up the nerve to invite her. It occurred to him that this was undoubtedly a date meal and suddenly he was anxious. He, Officer Tim Bradford was anxious. Isabel had really done a number on him. With almost losing Lucy and now the prospect of her leaving and moving on, he was a mess. He couldn't mess this up, the timing had to be right.

Deciding not to put so much pressure on things, he chose ingredients to make homemade pizza instead. Was he trying too hard? He frowned setting items back on the shelf. It dawned on him that homemade pizza was a bit much, definitely required some work and might weird Lucy out if he went overboard. He groaned.

An older woman seemed to sense his despair. "Big night?" Tim was caught off by her forwardness as he looked in frustration at the variety of brands. "Uh......" he trailed, not entirely sure what to say to avoid further conversation. He really didn't want to talk about personal things to a stranger. Then again, he wasn't quite ready to talk to Angela either, his best friend. " _What the hell_." He thought. "Kind of, I have this friend that I want to impress." Another thought hit him, " _Since when do I try to impress anyone? Let alone a rookie_?!" That thought perplexed him, leaving him more than a little uneasy. "Oh, I see!" Said the elderly woman, interrupting his inner turmoil. "She must be a special lady to have such a handsome man so flustered" he couldn't help the smile that crossed his face, not even registering that he had just been accused of being "flustered" by his boot. "Yeah, you could say that." The woman gave him a knowing smile. He didn't know what came over him but he suddenly found himself anxious to get this off his chest. "I almost lost her. And now... she's going to be moving on... I'm afraid it'll be without me." He had seldom admitted to being afraid, but that day he dug her out of the ground, he had been terrified. When he thought he was going to die from the virus, he couldnt bare the thought of leaving her. He realized now that it was more than just not trusting his boot's training to someone else. He didn't want to leave her. "Have you told her how you feel?" She asked with a gentle voice. "I don't want to push her away. I'm apparently good at that. And somehow, she hasn't been scared off, I don't want to risk it." He found himself fidgeting with the child seatbelt on the cart. "Well, the way I see it, we only regret the chances we didn't take. Tomorrow is not promised. But I have a feeling you know that already." He sighed. "You're right, I think maybe I'll take that chance. I don't want to miss out." He felt suddenly vulnerable in the middle of the canned goods aisle, not used to divulging such personal feelings, especially to a stranger. Sensing his unease she gripped his arm for a moment. "If she's worth it, take the leap. I wish you all the best..." It occurred to him they hadn't actually exchanged names. " _Tim_. I'm Tim." He supplied. " _Tim_ , I'm Gloria. Good luck!" She gave a wink before leaving him.

As if the conversation hadn't just happened, she was gone, out of sight. He suddenly felt lighter and with a new resolve. Although he felt guilty he had shared more with a stranger in five minutes than Angela, his best friend on the force, he was grateful for the sounding board. It made sense to him now that sometimes you just need to get it out and feel heard. For some reason, Lucy had chosen Tim for that. He didn't know quite what to make of that still.

Tim quickly finished his shopping, adding a few odds and ends of snacks and staples. On an impulse he grabbed the ranch and white cheddar popcorn flavors and a bag of Lucy's favorite Chili Lime Jerky. Feeling like his cart was sufficiently filled, he proceeded to the checkout line. Spying the peanut M&M's he tossed a king sized bag on the conveyor as he unloaded his cart.

"Tim!" He heard someone call his name a few registers away. It was Gloria. She came over to him with two bottles of wine, one dry and white, the other a sweet red. "Pick one for your special lady." She held out the two bottles to him. "Go on, wine makes everything better!" He chuckled shaking his head. "I definently think she's more of a sweet red." She handed him the bottle and he turned and placed it on the conveyor. He thanked her, turning back to face her. She was already several lanes away. If he hadn't seen the top of her curly white hair bobbing between lanes, he would have thought it was a hallucination. "Good luck!" She sing-songed disappearing from his sight. He shook his head in amusement as he pulled out his wallet to pay.


End file.
